Household cleaning composition

Description

[0001] The present invention is essentially a nonabrasive household cleaning composition that includes finely divided particles of a thermoplastic resin.

[0002] U.S. Patent 4,537,604 to Dawson discloses a scouring cleaning composition having agglomerates of finely divided abrasive material in an organic binder.

[0003] U.S. Patents 4,481,126 and 4,693,840 to Trinh et al relate to substantially nonabrasive liquid car cleansers which are comprised of polymeric particulate materials.

[0004] U.S. Patent 3,645,904 to Beach describes a skin cleanser containing particles of polyethylene.

[0005] U.S. Patent 4,508,635 to Clarke describes a liquid general purpose cleanser which contains 5% alcohol esterified resin copolymer.

[0006] U.S. Patent 3,326,807 to Guest et al relates to detergent toilet preparations containing an aqueous dispersion of a polymer or copolymer of styrene.

[0007] U.S. Patent 4,434,067 to Malone et al describes a cleanser for textile fabrics comprised of a particulate polymeric material prepared from synthetic organic polymers.

[0008] EP-A-0063472 discloses a liquid or gel cleansing composition comprising surfactant and particulate organic polymer suspended therein for use in cleaning contact lenses.

[0009] The present invention is a substantially nonabrasive household cleaning composition which cleans household utensils and tile. The preferred formulation is a cream cleanser which contains as a major ingredient poly[alpha-methylstyrene-styrene-acrylonitrile] commercially available under the trade name BLENDEX 586.

[0010] An object of this invention is to provide a substantially nonabrasive cream household cleanser which can be used frequently on household utensils and won't damage even plastic utensils. Another object of the invention is to provide a cream cleaning composition with organic polymeric solids.

[0011] The essential ingredient of the cleaning composition of the present invention is the terpolymer available under the trade name BLENDEX 586. The vendors describe the composition as a glassy poly[alpha-methylstyrene-styrene-acrylonitrile] thermoplastic polymeric resin. For purposes of simplicity this ingredient will be identified by the acryonym AMSAN in the present application.

[0012] The particle size range of the AMSAN is important. The AMSAN must have a particle size distribution between 40 and 325 mesh (US sieve series) (which have openings 44 to 420 (microns) micrometres across). The preferred particle size is about 60 to 325 mesh (US sieve series) (which have openings 44 to 250 (microns) micrometres across).

[0013] The physical properties of the AMSAN ingredient are set out in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1

Glass Transition Temperature (°F/°C)	257/125
Refractive Index	1.57
Specific Gravity	1.09
Hardness (Rockwell R)	123
Bulk Density (lb/ft³) (kg/m³)	20/320

It has been shown by comparative tests on the AMSAN that this ingredient is harder than polyvinyl chloride but not as hard as calcite. The AMSAN ingredient, when blended into a conventional detergent can be used to clean household utensils, for example without any problem with abrasion of these utensils. The chemical formulations containing AMSAN have no tendency to scratch even polymeric surfaces.

[0014] The cleanser formulations of the present invention can range from powders to paste to liquid consistencies depending on the amount of AMSAN in the formulation, or AMSAN can be used at relatively low levels in gelled compositions. The particle size of the AMSAN could be reduced by grinding or screening through finer mesh screens (i.e. 60 mesh (US sieve series which have openings 250 microns (micrometres) across) and still maintain parity scouring performance when compared to commercially available compositions.

[0015] The compositions are preferably substantially free of non-resilient abrasive materials. Preferably the synthetic resin particles are the sole species which are not water soluble.

[0016] The AMSAN component is present as 5 to 95 percent of the formulation preferably about 5 to 25 percent. A typical formulation when the composition is a cream is set out in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2

Scouring Cream Composition
	%
AMSAN-screened through 40 mesh ((US sieve series) which have openings 420 micrometres across)	35.00
Water (DI)	51.32
FD&C Yellow #5 (2% Solution)	0.20
Sodium sulphate (anhydrous)	1.00
Sodium carbonate (anhydrous)	1.00
Sorbitol (70% solution)	2.00
Na-Silicate (1:3.26 41 Be.) - (PQ)	1.00
Sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate (50% slurry)	6.18
Ethoxylated cocomonoethanolamide 2:1 (Amidox C-2)	2.00
Formalin	0.10
Lemon Perfume	0.20
Total	100.00

[0017] A typical formulation of the composition as a liquid is set out in Table 3 below.

TABLE 3

Scouring Liquid Composition
	%
Ethoxylated Alcohol Sulphate	9.940
Lauric Myristic Monoethanolamide (sodium xylene sulphonate (SXS) blend	3.600
Sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate (50% slurry)	18.500
Amsan-Screened through 60 mesh ((US sieve series) which have openings 250 micrometres across)	5.000
Water	62.560
Colour solution	0.100
Perfume	0.200
Formalin	0.100
Total	100.000

[0018] A typical powder formulation is set out in Table 4 below.

TABLE 4

Scouring Powder Composition
	%
AMSAN-screened through 60 mesh ((US sieve series) which have openings 250 micrometres across)	93.80
Sodium carbonate (anhydrous)	3.00
Sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate (Nansa HS85S)	2.80
Colourant	0.20
Perfume	0.20
	100.00

[0019] These compositions are typical and not intended to be limiting. Any suitable surfactant, builder and/or solvent/bleach system may be used in formulating the composition.

[0020] As pointed out above the essential feature of the cleansing composition of the present invention resides in the ability to clean soiled surfaces without abrading the surface. The ability to clean soiled surfaces was demonstrated in a series of runs. The data collected is set out in Example 1.

EXAMPLE 1

[0021] In this example Comstock cherry pie filling was blended to smooth consistency and applied as a thin even coat to one side of a 4" x 3¹/₄" (10 cm x 8.9 cm) glass plate. The plates were then baked in an oven for 7-10 minutes at 375°F (190°C). A hand held twin sponge holder was then used for the cleaning test. Three and a half grams of the composition described in Table 2 above and a commercial composition containing calcite abrasive were applied to premoistened sponges. The plates were then scrubbed with 150 strokes of the sponges using heavy pressure. The composition in Table 2 was compared to the commercially available composition in duplicate runs using the same test. The comparable results are set out in Table 5 below.

TABLE 5

Percent cleaning as determined by area of soil removal
	Run 1	Run 2	Average
Commercial formulation	9	34	22
Formulation of Example 1	50	77	64

[0022] It is apparent from this data that the cleansing composition of the present invention is substantially better than the commercially available scrubbing formulation. The composition of Table 2 cleaned a substantially greater area of soil than the commercially available formulation. On average the formulation of Example 2 cleans as much as 3 times as much surface as the commercially available formulation.

[0023] The superior non-scratch properties of the formulation of Table 2 was demonstrated in an abrasion test given in Example 2.

EXAMPLE 2

[0024] In this example the percent gloss reduction was measured. This measurement was carried out using beige polymethylmethacrylate tiles available from U.S. Steel Corporation as the test substrate. Gloss measurements were made using a Gardner 20° glossimeter. The percent of gloss reduction is calculated by the following formula.


   The percent gloss reduction was measured by applying 3.5 grams of the commercial product and 3.5 grams of the product of Table 2 to premoistened sponges of the Gardner abrasion Machine equipped with a twin sponge holder. The test was run for 150 cycles with an applied pressure of 0.25 lb/in² (7.32 x 10⁻⁵ kg/m²) of sponge surface. The data collected are set out in Table 6 below.

TABLE 6

Abrasion Test Percent Gloss Reduction
	Run I	Run II	Average
Commercial formulation	7.8	12.5	10
Formulation of Example 2	0.2	--	0.1

[0025] It is apparent in the data that the composition of the present invention is substantially better than the commercially available product. The gloss reduction of the product of Table 2 was better by a factor of 100 than the gloss reduction of the commercially available composition.

Claims

1. A household cleaning composition which comprises a surfactant, optionally a builder, optionally a solvent, and optionally a bleach system, and between 5 and 95 percent of finely divided particles of a synthetic thermoplastic resin composition having a particle size in the range of 44 to 420 microns (micrometres) and a Rockwell R hardness of 120-125, characterised in that the thermoplastic particles are terpolymers produced from alpha-methylstyrene, styrene, and acrylonitrile homopolymers.

2. A household cleaning composition as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the finely divided particles are of a synthetic thermoplastic resin composition having a density of 20 pounds per cubic foot (320 kg/m³).

3. A composition as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that the composition is a liquid and the said plastic particles are dispensed in suspension in the said liquid.

4. A composition as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that the composition is a semi-solid household cleaning cream and the said plastic particles are dispersed in the said cream.

5. A composition as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 characterized in that it is free of non-resilient abrasive materials.

6. A method of soil removal which comprises applying to a surface to be cleaned a composition as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5.

Ansprüche

1. Haushaltsreinigerzusammensetzung, die ein Tensid, gegebenenfalls einen Builder, gegebenenfalls ein Lösungsmittel und gegebenenfalls ein Bleichsystem und zwischen 5 und 95 % feinteilige Teilchen einer synthetischen thermoplastischen Harzzusammensetzung mit einer Teilchengröße im Bereich von 44 bis 420 »m (Mikrometern) und einer Rockwell-Härte R von 120 bis 125 umfaßt, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die thermoplastischen Teilchen aus α-Methylstyrol, Styrol und Acrylnitrilhomopolymeren hergestellte Terpolymere sind.

2. Haushaltsreinigerzusammensetzung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die feinteiligen Teilchen aus einer synthetischen thermoplastischen Harzzusammensetzung mit einer Dichte von 320 kg/m³ (20 pound/ft³) hergestellt sind.

3. Zusammensetzung nach Anspruch 1 oder Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Zusammensetzung eine Flüssigkeit ist und die Kunststoffteilchen in Suspension in der Flüssigkeit verteilt sind.

4. Zusammensetzung nach Anspruch 1 oder Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Zusammensetzung eine halbfeste Haushaltsreinigercreme ist und die Kunststoffteilchen in der Creme dispergiert sind.

5. Zusammensetzung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie frei von nicht elastischen Scheuermaterialien ist.

6. Verfahren zur Schmutzentfernung, bei dem auf eine zu reinigende Oberfläche eine Zusammensetzung gemäß einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5 angewendet wird.

Revendications

1. Composition détergente à usage ménager, qui comprend un tensio-actif, éventuellement un adjuvant de détergence, éventuellement un solvant, et éventuellement un système de blanchiment, et entre 5 et 95 % de particules finement divisées d'une composition d'une résine thermoplastique synthétique qui présente une taille de particules dans la gamme de 44 à 420 microns (micromètres) et une dureté Rockwell R de 120-125, caractérisée en ce que les particules thermoplastiques sont des terpolymères produits à partir d'homopolymères d'alpha-méthylstyrène, de styrène, et d'acrylonitrile.

2. Composition détergente à usage ménager telle que revendiquée dans la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que les particules finement divisées sont faites d'une composition de résine thermoplastique synthétique dont la densité est de 20 livres par pied cube (320 kg/m³).

3. Composition telle que revendiquée dans la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, caractérisée en ce que la composition est un liquide et lesdites particules plastiques sont en suspension dans ledit liquide.

4. Composition telle que revendiquée dans la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, caractérisée en ce que la composition est une crème détergente semi-solide à usage ménager semi-solide et lesdites particules plastiques sont dispersées dans ladite crème.

5. Composition telle que revendiquée dans l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisée en ce qu'elle ne contient pas de matériau abrasif non élastique.

6. Procédé pour éliminer les salissures, qui comprend l'application sur une surface à nettoyer d'une composition telle que revendiquée dans l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 5.